Levi Christopher

I don't quite know what to write about my nephew, little Levi. I never met him unless you count saying "Hi, Little Dude," through his mom's belly to him in his comfy womb.


There is a lot I can tell you about the kind of love Levi would have been surrounded by if the earth had the pleasure of hosting his life. Instead he will forgo a life filled with love, joy and of course some grief and sorrow and spend his days and nights surrounded by the all consuming love of God and in the arms of my dad, his Grandpa Doug.

Levi was "the one". We all knew it. We felt it. With each passing week our confidence and excitement grew that we would be able to meet him this summer. Levi's four other siblings at the most made it to the end of the first trimester. The problem was figured out - an occupational work hazard. The solution was to not work in that environment and Levi flourished. I talked to my little brother (Levi's dad) often and our conversations revolved around Levi and Candice - his loving mother who would lay in bed and sing songs to him in the mornings before getting up for the day. Levi was lucky to have Candice sing to him as she has a lovely voice.

I used to dread seeing my brother's name on my cell phone's caller id. It used to bring such sad news - another baby lost. After a while I could smile when I saw his name and didn't answer the phone with fear in my voice saying, "Joel, is everything ok?" This time the call came from my mom. I knew it couldn't have been good news because the call was to the home phone at 8:30 in the morning - she never calls that early as she knows Gavin and I might be sleeping. All she had to say was, "Has Joel called you?" and I knew. Levi was gone.


He was delivered on February 25th. He made it 22 weeks, over half way, before his umbilical cord got tied around his leg so tight that it cut off his blood supply. My brother said that at least they knew it was just a freak accident. I was furious with God. Why take Levi? Why? Why? Why? I've been mad at God on two occasions, when I was a little girl and my dad died and now. A girlfriend provided a measure of comfort when she said God could handle me being mad at him. That had to make me laugh a little.

These past two weeks the days have been progressively easier as I am able to shove thoughts of Levi, Joel and Candice aside after a quick prayer. I feel guilty as I don't want to think about him or the grief my brother and sister-in-law are embroiled in. The one time I can't escape thinking about my brother and SIL is at night. I lay down and fall asleep without too much trouble but at some point my dreams turn dark and my mind goes to Joel and Candice.


I've been waffling on whether or not I should write anything about this but I thought why not? Because it will make some people uncomfortable to read it? That hasn't stopped me before. I want to let the world know Levi was here even if only for a too brief period of time.

Levi was given a proper burial last Monday. My brother carried his tiny casket to his final earthly resting spot. It had a letter from his mom, one from his dad, a song my brother's friend wrote and two little stuffed toy cats my Aunt Annette made for Joel when he was a kid.

We will never forget Levi and his too short life. One day, far far from now, we will have a nice reunion where he can spend eternity with his loving mom and dad, all of his siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and of course his grandparents. At least we know he is at peace.

As this story of Levi pops in your head in the coming days and weeks please say a prayer to bring comfort to Joel and Candice.